20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF DEBUT ALBUM FROM Sweden's Jose Gonzalez. Originally released in 2003, Veneer is the debut studio album from the Swedish born Argentinian singer-songwriter and took nearly two years to make it to the US. Since then Gonzalez's sparse recordings (usually just an acoustic guitar and double-tracked vocals) have serenaded large parts of the population to calm tranquility for 15 years. The standout is his cover of The Knife's "Heartbeats." Set to the sound of expertly finger picked guitar, the cover strips the original's electro pop down to a sweet lullaby. In doing so Gonzalez follows in the footsteps of other great folk covers like M. Ward's "Let's Dance," Iron & Wine's "Such Great Heights," and Frente!'s "Bizarre Love Triangle." Includes the songs: "Remain," "Crosses," "All You Deliver," and "Save Your Day." Also included is a second LP which contains previously unreleased intimate live recordings from the singer’s 2003 performance at Gothenburg Concert Hall in Sweden. For fans of Nick Drake, Emiliana Torrini and even Zero 7 (Gonzalez provides vocals on their 2006 release The Garden). Limited edition of 3800 hand-numbered copies, includes a 24 page booklet with song-by-song guide and essays by Gonzalez.

• 20th anniversary edition
• crystal clear colored double vinyl pressing
• second LP contains previously unreleased live recordings from Sweden's Gothenburg Concert Hall in 2003
• housed in gatefold sleeve
• includes 24 page booklet w/ song-by-song guide + essays by Gonzalez
• limited edition edition of 3800
• original release year: 2003
• music label: Mute 2023

reviewed by Michu Meszaros 10/2015